Solace
by Namibean
Summary: Sanji notices when something goes missing


Here is my contribution to SanNami Week 2017 **Day 6 Prompt: Confession**.

* * *

"Not again!" Sanji could've sworn he saw his blue striped dress shirt among his clothes yesterday. Now that he planned to wear it today, it was gone. This wasn't the first time either. Over the past few weeks, he would notice a shirt of his would go missing, only to be returned among his clean clothes a few days later. While he was thankful to get his shirts back, it didn't stop the cook from feeling annoyed every time another shirt would disappear.

"Who the hell would want to steal one of my shirts anyways," he grumbled as he searched for a different shirt to wear for the day. It had to be someone aboard the Sunny. That helped narrow things down, but Sanji was still stumped as to who the culprit was. No one else on the crew wore suits. "Maybe Robin-chan?" he pondered. She wore button-down shirts sometimes… No. That idea was quickly dismissed. The design and cut of her blouses were made to fit a woman's curves. The blond quickly wiped away some of the blood from his nose.

Whoever was doing it, they needed to prepare to taste Sanji's wrath. Their punishment would make them wish they had never even thought of touching his clothes… especially if it was that damn Marimo. He quickly figured out how to catch the thief. Now all he had to do was wait for the blue shirt to be returned.

…

A few days later… It was getting late. The cook finished wiping down the counters in the kitchen. Usually he would check the inventory in the storage room next and then prepare tomorrow's menu. Instead he was trying to hurry so he could return to men's cabin. His blue striped shirt had been returned that morning. That meant that the clothes thief would strike sometime that evening. If Sanji was going to catch the culprit in the act, he had to put off checking inventory.

Leaving the galley, the blond lit a cigarette and casually walked towards the cabin. He wanted to run just so he could kick the shitty criminal's ass, but he knew that would give away his intentions and scare them off. With a drag of his cigarette, Sanji opened the door and froze. One tiny reindeer was in the middle of stealing one of his shirts. Both hooves hung on tightly to the white cotton fabric. Big, round eyes stared back at him in terror.

"Chopper," the cook took another drag and exhaled. His calm expression perfectly hid the whirlpool of fury under the surface. "What are you doing with my clothes?" Hands went into his pockets as if preparing to fight. "And before you answer, I want you to choose your words carefully. Say something wrong and I'll be serving venison for dinner tomorrow."

…

In the women's cabin, Nami lay on her bed in her bathrobe and finished her journal entry for the day. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, she sighed. Soft feathers from the pen lightly brushed against her pouting lips. _Where is he?_

Suddenly there was a knock on the cabin door. The navigator scrambled up from her bed. "It's about time," she called as she pulled the knob. "What took you so long, Cho…" her voice died in her throat. Rather than being greeted by a small raccoon-looking reindeer, Nami was surprised to see a blond cook standing in front of her. In his hands was a white dress shirt.

"Were you expecting one of these?" Sanji smiled at the ginger. The light blush forming in her cheeks didn't go unnoticed. Her mouth opened and closed as she stumbled over how to reply.

"I… I don't know what you're talking about!" The navigator turned and walked back towards the bed, leaving the door open for the cook. At least she didn't slam the door in his face. That was a positive sign, right?

Sanji took a timid step into the room. "Yeah, Chopper said you would probably deny it." When she didn't throw anything at him, he took a few more steps into the cabin before gently closing the door behind him. "Why have you been asking Chopper to steal my shirts, Nami-san?"

The ginger picked up her journal and pen and placed them on the table before sitting on the bed. A mixture of fear and shame constricted her chest. She had to tell him the truth, but it was so embarrassing. "Umm…" the navigator couldn't even look him in the eye.

A frown pulled at the corners of the cook's mouth. Nami-san was struggling. Why, he wasn't sure, but her discomfort was definitely evident. He sat down on the bed next to her. "If you wanted to wear a shirt, you could have just asked, you know."

"It's not really that, though," her voice wavered with uncertainty. She took a deep breath and continued. "When you left, I was so worried that we wouldn't see you again… It kept me awake at night and I couldn't sleep." Her hands gestured as she tried to get her thoughts out. Sanji-kun listened intently, but he was no help in understanding what she was trying to say. With a groan, she finally confessed, "So, the only thing that would comfort me was sleeping in one of your shirts. Even after you came back," she said quietly, "I couldn't sleep unless I was wearing your shirt."

Blue eyes opened wide in realization. Nami-san was using his shirts to sleep in? It was the only thing that would comfort her? She was wearing his clothes… at night… in her bed. Sanji ignored the perverted thoughts running through his head. He tossed the dress shirt behind them on the bed. Reaching out, he grabbed the navigator and pulled her close in an embrace. The woman was about to protest but the cook spoke first. "Do you know how adorable you are?" The tenseness in her body eased in his arms. "Anytime you want anything from me, just ask. I'll even give you the shirt off my back."

A smile formed on her lips. "Thank you, Sanji-kun," her voice was soft as she nuzzled his neck. The affectionate act was too much for the cook. The last thing he remembered was the smell of tangerines and warm breath against his skin. When he woke up in the infirmary the next morning, he found out that Nami had to call for Chopper to retrieve him. She still kept his white shirt to sleep in that night.


End file.
